Residents in Dartmouth have noticed that disposable vapes are being sold at low prices and are concerned they’re being aimed at children in the newly opened Poundland in Dartmouth.

After recent announcements that the government are considering banning disposable vapes, the timing of a new Poundland outlet selling cheap disposable vapes straight away has alarmed some residents.  

The percentage of young people using disposable vapes has grown exponentially in the last few years.

Little is known about the long-term health effects disposable vapes can have. However, researchers at some US universities have found that the risks of respiratory cancer from disposable vapes is above the ‘conventionally acceptable risk’.  

As well as the health concerns of the residents, they are also concerned about the littering associated with disposable vapes and the environmental damage they can cause, when disposed of irresponsibly.

The production of disposable vapes is already unsustainable, as they can only be used once before being thrown away. According to Material Focus in 2022, 1.3 million disposable vapes are thrown away every week. With only some being recycled and the rest either being littered or left into landfill.

Being on the banks of the River Dart, residents of Dartmouth are particularly concerned about disposable vapes ending up in the waterways around the town.

A spokesperson for Poundland provided us with a comment on residents’ concerns: “It's illegal in the UK to sell vapes to under 18s so that's why we operate an automatic till-block on these items, so colleagues must verify the age of any purchaser before they buy them. Because we have these blocks in place and take our responsibilities seriously, we would completely refute any suggestion that these items are targeted at children. They’re not, and can’t be, sold to them. Of course, we would also encourage everyone to be responsible with any product they buy from us and dispose of it responsibly after its use, whether that’s vapes or vinegar. Vapes provide a route for people to give up smoking – even to the point where the NHS describes them as one of the most effective tools for quitting cigarettes. For those looking to do that, we’re proud to provide a range at good value prices.”